Abstract

This article continues the study of some characteristic developments in contemporary philosophy in the Low Countries (= The Netherlands and Flemish Belgium)‚ as begun by G. A. De Brie and followed up by W. N. A. Klever. Statistical analysis of biobibliographical data‚ collected in Poortmans Repertorium der Nederlandse Wijsbegeerte‚ vol. IV (1968-1977)‚ shows among others : (1) secularisation in philosophy‚ as measured by the diminishing number of philosophers with theology as their academic background‚ has begun to develop rapidly in Flemish Belgium‚ as had already happened ten years before in The Netherlands ; (2) in terms of numbers of publications‚ the emphasis in contemporary philosophy within the linguistic boundaries of the Dutch language‚ lies on systematic philosophy‚ in contrast to the history of philosophy (59 % to 41 %) ; (3) within systematic philosophy concentration appears on the value complex of anthropology‚ social philosophy and philosophy of culture‚ though not at the expense of the epistemological-semiotic complex ; (4) notwithstanding the above mentioned signs of rapid secularisation‚ the percentage of publications in the field of philosophy of religion scored twice as high in Poortman IV‚ as compared to the International Philosophical Bibliography of Leuven in de same period